A known bronchus blocker includes a thin, slightly flexible tube to the end of which a balloon is attached. This balloon is inflatable through a lumen of the tube. The end of the tube to which the balloon is attached is at an angle with respect to the remainder of the tube.
In use, a respiration tube is inserted into the trachea of a patient. The bronchus blocker is inserted through or along this respiration tube. In addition, an endoscope is inserted through the respiration tube which is used to detect if the bronchus blocker has been inserted sufficiently far so that it is just in front of the branching of the trachea into bronchi near the carina. The bronchus blocker is then turned about its axis to such a degree, that the end points in the direction of the bronchus to be sealed off. Thereafter, the bronchus blocker is inserted into this bronchus. Finally, the balloon is inflated to such a degree that the bronchus is sealed air-tight.
A disadvantage of this known bronchus blocker is that the inflated balloon slips out of the bronchus relatively easily or is pushed too far into the latter. If a patient moves his/her head relative to the neck, the tract from the patient's mouth to the carina becomes longer or shorter. If the flexible tube is partly or completely carried along with such a movement of the head, or tension or pressure is inadvertently exerted on the tube in any other way, this will result in a corresponding force on the balloon. As the balloon should not be held in the bronchus too tightly or with too much friction in order to prevent damaging the latter, such a movement will quickly result in an undesired displacement of the balloon. The result of this is that the artificial respiration air is erroneously also being blown into a part of the lungs which is being operated on or amputated, which may even cause blood to be blown out of the patient which may soil staff who are surrounding the patient. The balloon then has to be brought into position again before artificial respiration can be resumed. To this end, the balloon is deflated and an endoscope is inserted again in order to be able to position the balloon, following which the balloon can be inflated again.